Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-12
A ALITTLE-UNDERsTOOD REGION.
The Potrero Grande Rancho-Thc
Delightful Prtncipality which
she Millionaire Dick Garvey has
Erected for Himself-A Moist
mud Productive Valley.

nnd Productive Valley.
A representative of the HERALD yes
terday treated himself to a drive
a much neglected region OF
the incompatible San Gsbriel valley,
in response to long standing invita-
ton from the hospitable Mr.. Richard
Garvey, modest and unobtrusive
gentleman, who, from small Begin
nings, has chosen to erect himself intoa
in these latter days. "Dlck
has an exquisite home in the south
western portion OF the valley. Those
who are we'll acquainted with the
topography Of Los Angeles county,
know that west Of the Santa Anita, and
the thousand other productive and
attractive spots known as the San
Gabriel valley proper, lie the Monte,
the Potrero Grande, The Felipe Lugo,
the Merced and other agricultural and
horticultural coignes of vantage which
align the San Gabriel river and the
Arroyo Honda, the latter a seldom
mentioned stream, which takes its
rise near the old Temple homestead,
and which discharges a volume OF
water nearly as great as that OF the
San Gabriel river itself.
The Garvey homestead is on the
Potrero Grande rancho proper, and a
most delightful one it is. MIR. Garvey
MAS rather directed his energies to
ybeautifying his place than to erecting
pretentious buildings, and yet his
residence has all the characteristics OF
comfort and pleasaunce. The most
marked peculiarities of this region is
the spontaneity with which all trees,
shrubs and flora grow without irriga-
ton. The green tints of vegetation
here, particularly in the orange trees,
indicate an utter absence of the dread
scale bug. On his home place Mr..
Garvey has a small orange plantation,
which has never known irrigation, but
which flourishes with all the vigor OF
the scriptural green bay tree. Fine
stock and fine turkeys-of one of the
latter we had ample opportunities of
forming judgment in cooked and
stuffed state-are the specialties OF
the Garvey farm. The HERALD rep
resentative, during his stay of half a
day, had an opportunity of inspecting
seven hundred and fifty sleek cattle
which bore the Garvey brand.
After sumptuous repast, which
was enlivened by the sallies of Dick
Garvey Jr.-one of the prettiest and
brightest boys at present extant in
Southern California = The HERALD
representative aforesaid started out to
view the land. He was driven by his
host to the adjoining Felipe Lugo
rancho, which is owned in common
by Mr.. Richard Garvey and Mr.. f. j.
Baldwin. The drive laid along high
mesa which commanded an inde-
scribably fine view of the San Gabriel
valley and of the Sierra Madre range
of mountains. 1t can be said without
hesitation that no one can understand
the esthetic capabilities of this match
less valley unless he has contemplated
them from the mesa which stretches
from Garvey's house; and, intermedi-
ate between the Monte, Santa Anita
and Monrovia, stretches bottom
land, luxuriant in pasture and diver,
sified by graceful and gracious foliage
which more than parallels the utmost
possibilities in scenic attraction and
richness of soil of Chester county
Pennsylvania, Orange county, New
York or the Blue Grass region of Ken
lucky. The route lay past the ole
Mission San Gabriel-that which an
tedates the repaired ruins which has
hitherto engrossed all the attention o.
the tourist, and wound up in region
of agricultural richness which cannot
be surpassed on the footstool.
| The leading landmark on this trip
was the Durfee homestead. In this
region of unsurpassed fertility two
generations of Durfees have been
raised, and an acre of these fat lands
might suffice to sustain troop OF
horses. The finest array of Jersey
cows in Los Angeles county are gath
cred here, and they chew their cud in
the shade OF English walnut trees that
are from five to eight times as large as
those of the Briswalter or kaspare
Cohn places in Los Angeles city.
These mammoth trees are not only re-
markable for their size but for their
phenomenal yield. One of these
giants-and here the soil is SO rich
and the water so abundant that a very
few years suffice for their maturity
will yield from 500 to 800 pounds OF
nuts, and they command from seven
cents a pound upwards. The owner
of one Of these walnut groves can cal
culate upon yield of from $500 to
$3.50 an acre-surely satisfactory re-
turn.for the trifing degree of labor
which is necessary for their cultiva-
tion, especially when it is borne in
mind that in the earliest stages of
their growth corn and other crops can
be cultivated between the rows.
Here, in these superb bottom lands,
will be located the future vegetable
gardens of Los Angeles county. They
are to-day overspread with a rank
growth of perennial grasses, wild
chamolile, wild celery and willows and
sycamores. Water is struck at depth
of from one to two feet, and drain OF
an eighth of mile in length will de-
velop stream exuding from the earth
which will almost suffice to furnish
power to run mill. All the decidu-
Gus fruits will flourish here in perfec-
tion, while all the berries and vegeta-
bles will grow rankly and .abundantly
Alfalfa will yield from five to eight
crops year without irrigation, and an
acre can be relied upon for hundred
sacks of potatoes yearly. Here will
be the vegetable gardens OF the future
we confidently reiterate. Already two
thirds of these lands of marvellous fer
tility have been sold, and at the low